UMS Concert Program, November 6, 1971: Concentus Musicus, Vienna --

Concert: Third
Complete Series: 3740
Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University Musical Society
of
The University of Michigan
Presents
CONCENTUS MUSICUS, VIENNA
Saturday Evening, November 6, 1971, at 8:30 Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM
Concerto in C major
Allegro Adagio Allegro
Tomaso Albinoni
(16711750)
Fantasia, "On the Plainsong," Air .
William Lawes (16021645)
Suite from "Castor and Pollux".....
Ouverture, McnuetTambourin, Loure, Gavotte 1,2, Air gay, Entree, Gigue, Chaconne
INTERMISSION
Jean Philippe Rameau
(16831764)
Three Sonatas from "La Cetra"--1673
Giovanni Legrenzi
(16261690)
Brandenburg Concerto No. S in D major, BWV 1050, for Harpsichord, Flauto traverso, Violin, and Strings
Allegro Affetuoso Allegro
. Johann Sebastian Bach
(168517SO)
Tehjunken and Decca Records
Third Concert
Ninth Annual Chamber Art"; Series
Complete Program 3740
PROGRAM NOTES
The Concentus Musicus plays only on original instruments of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, or on exact copies of these. Even the string instruments have been restored to their original design; they are strung with gut strings and are played with bows of the eighteenth century. The tone of these instruments, and also the playing technique, are distinctly different than those of modern instruments. In other words, old music sounds completely different when played on these instruments rather than on modern ones. It should be noted that the old instruments are in no way primitive predecessors of the technically developed modern ones. They are indeed the culmination of their type, as the price of every technical improvement was a degeneration of the tone quality.
The Musicians and Their Instruments
Alice Harnoncourt, Violin.....Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1665
Walter Pfeiffer, Violin......Matthias Albanus, Bozen 1712
Peter Schoberwalter, Violin.....Barak Norman, London 1709
Josef de Sordi, Violin.......Jacobus Stainer, Absam 1677
Kurt Theiner, Tenor Viola . . . Marcellus Hollmayr, Vienna ca. 1650 Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Violoncello . . Andrea Castagneri, Paris 1744
Eduard Hruza, Violone.....Antony Stefan Posch, Vienna 1729
Leopold Stastny, Flauto Travcrso ... A. Grenser, Dresden ca. 1750 Leopold Stastny, Baroque Recorder . . . Copy by H. C. Fehr, Zurich Jurg Schaeftlein, Baroque Oboe . . . P. Paulhahn, German ca. 1720 Jurg Schaeftlein, Baroque Recorder . . . Copy by H. C. Fehr, Zurich
Paul Hailperin, Baroque Oboe . . Copy of an instrument by Paulhahn,
by H. Schuck, Vienna
Walter Stiftner, Baroque Bassoon . . . Tauber, Vienna 18th century Herbert Tachezi, Harpsichord
Italian Baroque Music --
Italy was in every respect the cradle of the baroque. The first baroque churches and palaces were built there, the first operas, the first monodies and concerti were written here. In this music the expression is everything; in the slow move?ments noble or tragic feelings are displayed, in the fast ones cheerfulness, gaiety, or simply virtuosic brilliance. Giovanni Legrenzi was one of the most important Bolognese instrumentalists and composers. He was a violinist whose influence was widely spread by his pupils. His instrumental sonatas are still in one move?ment: the adagio and allegro sections flow into one another without interruption. Tomaso Albinoni was a pupil of Legrenzi. He was a violinist, and this explains his brilliant and always effective composition. Albinoni developed, along with Vivaldi, the form of the concerto and solo concerti.
English Baroque Music --
In the past centuries the English composers have been unfairly neglected. Only recently has the large and unique significance of the English music again become generally known. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries a large part of the music was written for an intimate circle of connoisseurs, not for a large audience. One of the most gifted and at the same time least known English composers is William Lawes. He wrote with the greatest facility for every ensemble that was then common, but above all for strings. His fantasies and dances are based on the works of his teacher, John Cooper, but they surpass by far Cooper's work in their daring harmonies and animated melodies.
French Baroque Music --
The development of national styles is one of the most notable peculiarities of European music. From the very beginning various centers developed their own musical idioms, corresponding to the different mentalities of the various peoples. During the baroque period, Italy and France were musically the most diametri?cally opposed countries in Europe. The Italian music was always direct, extro?verted, and uncomplicated; French music on the other hand, was rigorously moulded, concise, ingenious, and intellectual.
Johann Sebastian Bach --
Bach's works are a synthesis of the entire baroque music. Bach not only unites the otherwise irreconcilable national styles (French and Italian) but he sum?marizes the entire hundredyear inheritance of baroque music in his work. In the fifth Brandenburg Concerto, the earliest known work with concertante harpsichord, all technical and tonal possibilities of this instrument are already so masterfully employed that this work has remained the high point of its genre. The other two solo instruments, the flauto traverso and the violin, leave the dominating role in the first movement to the harpsichord.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS -197 172
RUGGIERO RICCI, Violinist.......Monday, November 8
Sonata in Eflat major, Op. 12, No. 3, Beethoven; Sonata No. 3 in C major (for solo violin), Bach; Suite from "Le Baiser de la Fee," Stravinsky; Hungarian Airs, Ernst; "Perpetual Motion," Paganini
ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET......Wednesday, November 10
PRAGUE STRING QUARTET......Tuesday, November 16
Quartet in C major, Op. 54, No. 2, Haydn; Quartet No. 2, Janacek; Quartet in G major, Op. 106, Dvorak
SHIRLEY VERRETT, Mezzosoprano .... Thursday, November 18
"Komm Susser Tod," Bach; "II mio bel foco," Marcello; Three Spirituals; Vier crnste Gesange (Four Serious Songs) Op. 121, Brahms; Zigeuner Melodien (Gypsy Songs) Op. 55, Dvorak
?SWINGLE SINGERS from Paris......Friday, November 19
CHORICA DANCE THEATER from Athens.....
Choreography is closely interwoven with speech and music in these presentations, with excerpts from Ancient Greek tragedies, comedies and satiric drama providing material for the dramatic expressions of this group.
Two performances in Power Center:
Classical Greek Drama......Saturday, November 20
Byzantine Medieval Liturgical Drama . . . Sunday, November 21
NATIONAL BALLET of Washington, D.C. (aft. & eve.) Saturday, November 27
THE MESSIAH--Handel's great oratorio Friday and Saturday, December 3 and 4
(afternoon) Sunday, December 5
Donald Bryant conducts the 325member Choral Union, Interlochen Arts Academy Or?chestra, and soli in this traditional event of the Christmas season. Soloists are Helen Boatwright, Soprano; Batyah Godfrey, Contralto; Dan Marek, Tenor; and Donald Bell, Bass.
CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA,
Pierre Boulez, conductor.....Wednesday, December 8
Jeux, Debussy; The Miraculous Mandarin, Bartok; Symphony No. 3, Schumann
All programs in the evening, unless otherwise noted.
Sold out.
The annual May Festival will be held May 4, 5, 6 and 7. Programs and soloists for the five concerts will be announced December 1, when series orders will be accepted.
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104 (Phone 6653717)